Pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension - high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs, which puts huge pressure on the heart - is a devastating disease with few treatment options.
Studies conducted in the Centre have shown that sildenafil (Viagra) is helpful in reducing the strain on the heart that characterises this condition and this drug is now licensed as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension.
A new blood test that might help monitor the disease has also been developed.
The paper 'Sildenafil versus Endothelin Receptor Antagonist for Pulmonary Hypertension (SERAPH) Study' was published in the 'American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine' on 4 March 2005.
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Image credit: Gordon Museum